Camera-tripod.



W. C. EVANS.

OAMBBA TRIPOD.

PPLIOATIOI Hmm JAN. 1o. 190e.

Patented Mar. 23, 1909.

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" UNITED STATES PATENT onirica.

WILLIAM C. EVANS, OF ELIZABETH. NEW JERSEY.

' CAMERA-TRIPOD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March as, 1909.

Application led January 10, 1908. Serial No. 410,164.

tripod by means of which the camera may be accurately leveled irrespective of the tripod legs and also adjusted up or down after such level has been obtained and without destroying the level reviously obtained.

A further o ject of the invention is to provide means -whereby the camera may be tilted to any desired angle relative to the tri od heady'n a universal joint being establis ed between the camera and the tripod so as to vadmit 'of such angular adjustment in any direction. After the adjustment rel ferred to has been obtained, the camera may raised or lowered to any desired extent without disturbing the angularity of the camera. With the above and other objects in view the nature of which will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists. inthe novel construction, combination and arrangement herein fully described, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 l is a sectional elevation ofthe tripod embodying the-present invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the ball and socket member in elevation and the tri od head in section. Fig. 3 is a plan view o the tripod head with the attachment removed.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the main section of the tripod head which is provided with the pendent lugs 2 to which the tripod legs 3 are pivotally connected in the usual manner. 4 v

In carrying out the present invention,- the tripod head is provided with an adjustable section 4 preferably of the same size and shape as the main section 1 and adapted to rest directl on the section 1, as shown in Fi s. 1 an 2.

' onnected to the adjustable section 4 and extending downwardly therefrom is a rack 5 toothed on one side as shown at 6, said rack Nk 44VQ 'section 4. The rack bar 5 passes through an o ening 8 in the main head section 1 of the lead of the tripod.

Meshing with the teeth of the rack 5 is a pinion 9, the shaft 10 of which extends outwardly through an opening in the main head section l'where it is provided at a convenient point with a 'milled operating head 1.1 by means of which the pinion 9 may be turned to move the rack 5 up and down and correspondingly raise and lower the adjustable section 4 of the tripod head.

Mounted on the adjustable section 4 of the tripod head is a ball and socket device or sup port for the camera, said device comprlsing a contractible spring socket member 12 which,

yin the preferred embodiment of the invention is cylindrical as shown in Fig. 2 with-the exception of the upper portion thereof which is accurately curved inward, as indicated at 13, to correspond w ith the curvature of a ball or sphere 14 which is held within the socket member 12, as shown in Fig. 1. per edge of the socket member 12 is turned outward to form a bead or flange 15 and in that way a groove or ring seat 16 is formed adjacent to the toll) edge of the socket member 12 wherein a c ampingring 17 is placed. This clamping ring is divided at one side and the ends of the ring are enlarged, as shown, to form oppositely located eyes 18 in which is inserted a clamp screw 19, one of the eyes being internally threaded to be engaged by said screw 19 while the opening in the other' eye is left smoothto ermit said screw to turn freely therein. he u p er portion of the s ocket member 12 is furt er split at intervals as indicated at 20 to impart greater exibility and resiliency thereto to permit the upper edge portion of the socket member to be contracted by the clamp ring 17, so as to enable the ball to be firmly clasped by the socket member.

In the lower portion of the socket member 12 there is arranged a seat block 21 which preferably fills the lower portion of the socket member, the upper part of said seat block being concaved as shown at22 to conform to the outer surface and curvature of the ball 14. When the clamp ring 17 is tightened the ball is not only'clamped by the socket member 12, but is also forced into firm frictional en agement with the seat block 21 and there yeffectually held from any movement whatever. The socket member 12 may be secured to the adjustable head sec- The extreme up j tion 4 in any convenient manner, said socket screwed tightly as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. The ball 14 is provided at a suitable point with a socket 27 adapted to receive a catch 28 shown in the form of a pin which is carried by aspring 29 arranged outside of the socket member and secured thereto at one lend, the catch 28 passing through the opening in the socket 12 and engaging the ball, as shown in Fig. 1, .to prevent rotation thereof vin the ,act of applying the camera box to the tripod and removing the same therefrom.

30 designates a thumb piece to facilitate the manipulation of the catch 28.

From the foregoing description, it will be understood that the camera may be accurately leveled or adjusted to any desired angle by displacing the catch 28 and loosening the clamp screw 19 and thereafter turning the `ball 14 so as to dis ose the camera at the desired angle. The c amp screw 19 is then' tightened and the ball member of the device is securely held against further movement. l/Vhile maintaining the adjustment just referred to, the adjustable tripod head section 4 may be raised and lowered so as to bring the camera to any desired point of elevation by means of the rack and pinion mechanism hereinbefore described. y

Having described the invention, what I claim as new is j j e 1. A tripod for'the urpose set forth comprisin a ball and soc et device for the support o the camera, the ball member havin a threaded stud to receive the camera, t e socket member being provided with a resilient portion and a c amping'ring encircling the resilient portion of the socket member, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. A tripod for the pu aclamping ring'encircling the resilient portion of the socket, and a ball member having a threaded stud for engaging the camera.

3. A tripod for the pur ose set forthv com prising a tripod head, an a ball and socket device for holding the camera thereon, consisting of a socket member having a spring portion, a clamp ring encircling said spring portion, a ball member held inl-.the socket member and having means for the attach-v ment of the camera thereto, and a catch on 4the socket member movable into and 'out of interlocked engagement` with the ball member, substantially as' described. f In testimony WhereofI aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.' X

F. F. SLEENSGAED, T. H. Warn;

ose set forth comprising a tripod head an a ball and socket device for` securing a camera to the tripod,- consisting of a socket member having a resilient portion, a seat block arranged therein, 

